Dirty Deeds

Einstein observed that nothing happens until something moves. Movement requires effort. Lazy people are not prone to exert the effort required for change. One would think simple advice may be sufficient for some sort of motivation but there are those among us that will not be confused with the facts because they have already made up their minds. They bewilder loved ones and confuse the rest of the population. The picture above is obvious to the most casual observer that the suggestion put forth would fall under common sense. Believe it or not I have witnessed individuals that don't possess enough common sense that God gave a goose.

The private lives of others rarely fall into consideration with me. I have my life and comfort levels and believe in live and let live except where children are concerned. I have never been involved in any type of intervention or the reporting of behavior that is considered detrimental to a child's welfare. This week that concern became paramount when Rosie and I were confronted with the reality of a two year old boy who has been neglected in a disturbing fashion.

We have an involvement with the boy's family, but it has been strained for quite some time due to unhealthy choices on their part. In short, we felt their living environment was something our children didn't need to be exposed to or witness. Rosie agonized over what to do after a report about the living conditions started to surface. Everyone involved stated what needed to happen but continued only talking instead of doing. I believe in going ugly early and am always flummoxed when I see enablers wiping the ass of others who perpetually continue the same behavior. Change needs to occur and that requires action and when lazy, filthy people are involved it's easy to understand Dante's quote, "Hell is the impossibility of reason."

Little Moses and his mother live with at her parents. Occasionally Moses' part time dad will stay there as well. The other daughter, Samantha, moved back home with her partner and that's when the proverbial shit hit the fan. That analogy isn't too far off base when she started to describe the living conditions. The first obvious sign of concern was a second floor window that has a torn screen. The child waves at people as he leans out. Didn't Eric Clapton's son die the same way? This is easily remedied but the lack of concern by not fixing that hazard and the utter laziness of not shutting the window boggles my mind. Are they that into themselves that they can't even conjure up logic and reason where the safety of a child is concerned?

The window is the least of this little guy's concern as Samantha described the home itself as filthy and unbearable. She puked the first time she viewed the contents of the refrigerator and stated that the bathrooms and tub were just as bad. The amount of debris in the home would be considered a danger for a pet let alone a child.

I haven't been in the home for about three years which is just fine by me but what I do remember is being uncomfortable not because of the filth, but for the screaming that regularly occurs. Screaming seems to be their favored form of communication. How can a little one have a fighting chance when he lives in filth where people are so miserable they show disrespect and hate for one another? Rosie made the call Monday to Child Protective Services of Clermont County. The agency made a visit that very same day and apparently what they found was substantial because a follow up visit happened Wednesday and a third visit is scheduled for today or Monday.

The grandfather (homeowner) stated that his place was not filthy just cluttered. I have never seen denial so severe; this man has an excuse for everything and somehow he becomes the victim even when his own actions are culprit. This man has Hepatitis C and is a diabetic who leaves his dirty insulin needles in an uncovered garbage can. What would happen if Moses contracted Hepatitis? What excuse would be manufactured then? If the home was merely cluttered then Child Services wouldn't follow up with additional visits. This man just had a surgery and the incision became infected and wouldn't heal. He had to stay at his mother's home because the filthy living conditions of his own home jeopardized his healing. What does that say of his wife and daughter that live in the same conditions?

Rosie, wanting to be part of the solution, offered to help with the cleaning. I admire her for wanting to do the right thing by reporting this child's living conditions and am proud she was willing to roll up her sleeves and help. Unfortunately, no one else in the house appreciated her efforts and refused to help clean even though the agency warned of follow up visits. That is the impossibility of reason. Other family members expressed appreciation to Rosie for doing what needed to be done, but those who were reported were angry over being exposed rather than the environment their son or grandson is living in. Where does that logic come from?

The mother's room was a focal point of the investigation and from what I understand it was a catastrophe where the child sleeps. The only ones to take this situation seriously were the ones cleaning. No one else who lived there did a damn thing to help. After three days of cleaning the home is still a wreck and still filthy. Rosie is done and believes her responsibility to help with change is over. Samantha believes her presence will make a difference but as soon as she and her partner move out the home will slide back into the same habit of lazy apathy. You can lead a horse to water…

Before the call was made, Samantha brought Moses to Casey's Karate class. They were sitting next to me and I could smell the little boy. He is so precious and it was hard to see how dirty he was. After being in the home for five days Samantha finally bathed him not knowing when the last time he was taken care of like that. When the grandfather was confronted by the condition of the tub he flippantly proclaimed Moses didn't like baths and when he did receive a bath he stood up anyway. Perfect! I won't clean our tub anymore and simply tell our daughters to just stand during bath time. That will save on elbow grease and cleaning supplies. I wouldn't enjoy my bath either if I had to sit in a filthy tub with no toys while people screamed at me. You have to love the justification some idiots put forth.

Lack of effort and the impossibility of reason couple nicely with laziness and selfishness. Witnessing how these people live has been an experience I wish I had not been a part of. I am haunted when little ones are affected.